Handrails are rails onto which a person may grasp, providing stability and support for the person. They are typically found in conjunction with stairways or ramps. Handrails may be attached to one or both of the walls adjacent to the stairway or ramp, or they may be supported by posts. In either case, handrails provide a longitudinal gripping surface running generally parallel to the incline of the stairway or ramp. Although handrails are commonly found next to stairways and ramps, they can also be found next to flat locations, especially where mobility and safety are concerns, such as in bathrooms and hospital corridors.
One type of handrail is the continuous handrail. A continuous handrail has a continuous, unbroken surface. Building codes in some jurisdictions require that continuous handrails extend for at least the entire length of the stairway. As such, a person ascending up or descending down the stairway is able to grasp onto a portion of the continuous handrail for at least the entire flight of stairs.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,356,802 to Reich discloses a handrail assembly comprising a handrail and a bracket. The handrail has an inverted T-shaped channel on the bottom of the handrail, where the bottom portion of the T-shaped channel is narrower than the upper portion. The head of the bracket is rounded and has a width that is greater is its length. When the head of the bracket is inserted into the T-shaped channel and rotated 90°, the geometry of the T-shaped channel and the bracket are such so that the head of the bracket is held in place within the T-shaped channel. However, slight imperfections in the sizing of the T-shaped channel and/or the head of the bracket will result in the handrail being apt to wobble or move. Furthermore, the handrail is supported only by a single point of contact (namely the head of the bracket), which may fail if too large a force is exerted on the handrail.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved handrail that overcomes the deficiencies noted above.